Safety razor



jam. 8 1924.

N. STATHAM SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed Dec. 19. 191.9 9

IIIIIIHIIIV Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES A were PATENT oFFIc.

NOEL STATHAM, OF IRVINGTON, NEW YORK.

SAFETY nAzoR.

Application filed December 19, 1919, Serial No. 346,132.. Renewed April 30, 1923.

a specificatiom taken in connection with'the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates especially .to razors which may be' of the safety razor type and with which stropping devices may be combined so that the razor blade may be stropped without disengagingit from the blade holder and cooperating handle which support it in shaving position. handle which preferably comprises a res1l1- ent handle extension which may advantageously be formed of resilient sheet inetal may have its lower or gripping portion re enforced in suitable ways. The handle may have pivoted thereto adjacent the extension portion thereof a hinge support carrying a hinge pin or device cooperating with the handle extension and at some distance from the pivot so that, this hinge may be swung around the end of the handle into. any desired position. The blade holder which may hold or engage the razor blade in any suitable way may be connected to the hinge pin so that it can fold either out into angularly projecting shaving position 01' down. into substantially the plane of the handle when desired. In this way the razor blade-with which a guard may be connected or associated in any desired way is foldably and suita le cam devices maybe arranged between the blade holder and the handle extension, for instance. to yieldably support the blade holder and blade in its project ing shaving position while allowing itto be pushed down into flat or carrying position without the necessity of releasing any speciallatching devices or complicated detents. For stropping, the blade holder may be folded into substantially theplane of the handle and then if desired swung around the handle pivot so that that edge of. the blade projects somewhat beyond one edge of the handle in which position it may be retained by. any suitable or gripping retaining devices, and if desired these, de-

vices may comprise a wedging tongue or other disengaging member to separate the guard and blade holder when the parts are swung into stropping position, so that under these conditions the guard may, i-f'desired, be swung over to the other side of the handle so as to be out of the way and not interfere with the stropping of the blade. Of course any suitable razor blade may be used in such a holder of resilient sheet metal so as to grip the razor blade and sufficiently tightly hold it in position while still allowing the withdrawal there-.

of when a new blade is desired. In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way various illustrative embodiments of this invention, Fig. 1 is a. perspective view showing an illustrative razor in shaving position.

Fig.2 is-a corresponding enlarged longitudinal section.-

Fig. 3 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 2-.

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the razor on substantially the same scale as Fig. 1 with the blade holder and cooperating parts folded up substantially into line with the handle.

Fig. 5'is a corresponding elevation show-- ing the blade holder swung around to bring t into stropping position.

' Fig. dis a corresponding view with the guard swung away toward the other side of the handle. r

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig.6. Fig. 8 is aperspective view showing another form of holding device to hold the swin 'ngly connected to the handle and guard in position with respect to therazor blade; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section showing another form of razor.

In the illustrative embodimentof the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the razor handle which may in inany cases be advantageously formed of sheet metal may have a resilient handle e ttension such as 19 and an adjacent pivotsuch as the rivet 16 which may connect to the handle a swinging hinge support or plate 14 which may'swing around this-pivot 16 in the plane ofthe handle and if desired be provided with a separate hinge pin such as 5 cooperatin with the resilient handle extension. It is desirable to reenforce the other end of the handle and for this purpose the handle may be made of double thickness sheet metal at least throughout part of the same, so that pivot ton e, such sion of the handle front through which the holder is swung stamped out of this same pivot 16 may extend andpreferably formed with one. or more alignlng edge portions,

such as 22, to align the blade holder and blade for stropping purposes.

The blade and cooperatin blade holder which maybe of any suita le types may advantageously be connected to the handle by being pivotally connected to the hinge support as .by making the blade holder of one piece of resilient sheet metal such as spring brass of such size and shape that the adjacent parts 2 may resiliently grip and hold the razor blade 6, while, if desired, an integral hinge tongue 3 may be formed or sheet of material and brought down around the hinge pin 5 so as to form a secure and reliable hinge connection between these parts. also a corresponding recess 47 may be formed in the under side of the blade holder, as is shown in Fig. 6, which may extend toward but preferably not to the outer edge of the blade holder to facilitate insertion of the blade 6 whichmay' be provided with projecting ears or aligning portions 25 cooperatin with corresponding recesses 19 in the blade holder to promote longitudinal alignment between the parts. If desired, also a metallic facing or plate 1 may be soldered or otherwise secured to theouter side of the blade holder to give a somewhat more fin-- ished appearance thereto and to cooperate with the handle extension when the blade up'into the fiat extended position shown in Fig. 4, for instance, although this facing is not necessary in all cases. v p

Any desired form of holding or detent or retaining devices may be used preferably to retain the blade holder and blade in selfsupporting shaving position projecting at a substantial angle to the handle and for this purpose it is advantageous to use cam devices on the cooperating portions or faces of the blade holder and handle or handle extension so that when the blade holder is swung up into some such angularly projecting position-as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it may be yieldingly retained in that position and held securely enough for shaving purposes. By forming one or more cam devices on the pivotal or hinge portions of the blade or corrugated surfaces or. edges,

with while the cam devices In this way aeeao holder, such as 4:, the relatively flat or retaining portions or faces of these cam members may engage with the resilient handle extension which presses against them strongly enough to hold the blade, holder and connected blade in this projecting shaving' position with considerable firmness so as to require at least a number of pounds pressure before they fold or move out of this position while at the same time they are yieldingly held so that there are no positive interlocking detents or similar parts which must be manually operated or unlatched before the projecting razor blade and blade holder are swung or up into line therewith, as shown in Fig. 4:. When in this extended position shown in Fig. 1 the facing 1 is swung into engagement with the resilient handle extension and has a retaining or cam action in connection thereholder which are'preferably located sufficientlyfar from the pivot 16 when'this pivot is secured to the handle back which forms the. resilient handle extension so' as to give the desired resilient action of these parts and these cam devices may beformed with a face or projection adapted to yieldingly hold the parts in folded position when the blade holder is pushed down from the shaving position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 into substantially the plane of the handle after which, if desired, it may be swung about the pivot 16 so that the blade may be longitudinally arrangedwith respect to the handle so that the folded razor occupies still less room in this carrying position. It is of course un- 4 on the blade derstood that when the blade holder and.

blade are in their angularly extended shaving position shown he swung laterally the razor edge may assume any desired inclined position for shaving purposes.

It is advantageous in many cases to have a guard arranged in connection with the razor blade and any suitable type of guard may be used properly cooperating with the razor edge and preferably permanently connected to the blade holder or handle so as to pre-- vent the loss of any of these parts in service. For this purpose it is advantageous in many cases to pivot the guard such as 7 to the hinge pin 5 and as indicated in Fig. 6 this guard may have one or more hinge portions, suchas 23, arranged in cooperation with the hinge pin 5 so that the guard may move about this hinge pin either togetherwith the blade holder and blade. or separately therefrom when the parts are swung outward into separated stropping position as shown in Fig. 6. It is desirable to connect the guard to the blade holder when the parts are inshaving position and a yieldable connecting device or clip such as 48 may be formed on one or both sides of the guard so and with a series as to snap over the corresponding side of the blade holder and securely hold the parts 1n this shaving position in which they both have hinge movement in folding about the hinge pin 5 as above indicated. The guard m y of course be formed with a curved lip or edge 12 adjacent the edge of the blade of grooves and depressions 11 as well as'with one or more recesses or cutaway portions 13 as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 to promote cleaning and allow the escape of lather, etc. It is not, however, necessary to have the laterally connecting clips 48 to hold these parts together, since, if desired, the guard may be provided either instead of or in connection with these clips with cam devices, such as 9, adjacent its end portions, for instance, so that the relatively fiat or holding parts of thesecam portions may engage with the handle or blade holder portions to yieldingly hold the guard in desired position with respect to the blade. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 these cams 9 may engage the facing plate 1' on the blade holder, for example, so as to firmly but yieldingly retain these parts in such cooperative positlon. This arrangement thus yieldingly holds the guard and blade together during shaving and allows the guard to "be swung away from the blade for cleaning and stropping, if desired. For stropping it is desirable to have the ed e ject from the han lo and ranged substantially aral e1 "to the axis or side of the handle, and for this purpose the blade holder and blade may be yieldably held in this stropping position by any suitable gripping or retaining device, such. for

referably be arinstance, as the recess 21 in the one or'both sides ofthe handle which may be formed by separating its adjacent parts or plates, as is shown in Fig. 1. This form's'a recess which grippingly engages the blade holder when it 1s swung into the same so as to prevent accidental withdrawal until the parts are swung out of this stropping position about the pivot 16. It is also desirable to automatically disengage the guard from the blade holder when the parts are swung into this stropping osition and for this purpose it is advantageous to form a disengaging member on the handle or adjacent parts such as the wedging tongue 20 which may wedge itself between th guard and blade holder,

when these parts are swung about the pivot 16 down into the position shown in Fig. 5 and this forces the guard away from the blade to a considerable extent and releasesany connecting clips or devices, suchas 48, which may be used to normally hold these parts together, thus, facilitating the swinging of the guard 7 over into its disengaged stropping osition shown in Figs. 6 and 7. It may be l ield in this stropping position by the faces 10 on the cam members which i of the razor blade pro-' line with the gua-r may engage'the facing plate 1 as indicated down toward. the opposite side of the handle into this stropping position as shown in Fig. 6 it is yie dingly or resiliently retained therein during the stropping operation when the razor edge is drawn over a razor shop of any desired or ordinary character. Thereafter the'guard may be folded over toward the blade holder and then these parts ma be swung about the pivot 16 until the blade holder is free from the disengaging member 20 when the-guard may be forced into close engagement with the blade holder after which these parts may be folded over against the handle so that they both assumesome such carrying position as the guard 'Z in Fig. 6. This makes a very compact razor which will fit within an extremely small prises a'resilient detent such as the spring I wire 32 which may extend through a recessed edge portion or support 31 on the edge of the guard 30. T bent adjacent its central portion 'or may fit sufficiently tightly within this recessed su port so that its bent ends 34 are resilient y held against the ends of the blade support as shown in full lines in Fig. 8, or in the re leased position as shown in dotted lines when these ends 34 pro'ect out substantially in out of contact with the blade holder, thus allowing the guard to be swung away from the blade holder, if desired.

Fig. 9 shows another arrangement in which, the handle may be formed of adouble thick ness pivotal portion 35, 36 through which extends the pivot 38 connecting to the handle the hinge support or plate 37 having the hinge pin 39 to which the blade holder 40 1s wire may be of resilient material maybe pivotally conof the razor .while the side portions 50 conmet the two substantially parallel guard plates 41 which may be slipped on either side of the blade holder and retained in that position in any suitable way as by the yield-- mg holding springs 44 diagrammatically indicated within the guard. The guard may.

as indie area be amai with manually "pus folding. down in this shaving position I in w the handle, it

bodirnents, parts,

be limited, since 7 support pivotedv i, ness 4o disengaging projection resilientlocking device, such as 45, which, may snapover the end of the handle extension 46 to firmly orpositively hich theblade holder and blade are thus supported in pro-: jecting positio'nextending atan angle from" being of course understood the lockingjdevice a suitable Fig.

that by giving angle such as indicatedin holding action may that merely forcing blade holder releases down the guard or when the' handle suspension is sufficiently handleand resilient when the considerably under shaving "conditions. thought necessary as desirable the locking in which case it may be the handle extension hed up handle.

This inventi'onha's nection with anurnber of illustrative ernand methods of manna vices," arrangements facture and use, to the details ofwhich' disclosure the invention is not of course. to p I whatis claimed as new and what is (lBSlI'Gd' 1 to be secured elaims.

I 1. in safety razors and stroppers, a metal a projecting A look the parts:

lding been described in constropping position.

' 3. In safety razors and stroppers, a ban die, a hinge support pi'votedto said handle a blade holder pivotally 'ihinge support, a pivotally mounted guard v on said. blade holder and guard to be secured in-othis'way so this locking device morethan would. be exerted, f

0f course if device may be brought downifurther around i or released before the bladeholderltoward the I I oration and retain them in self supporting said handle and disengaging proportions, materials,"de-

by Lete', ters Patent is setforth in the appended I supporting handle havinga double thicknessv pivotal portion, a gripping retalning device cooperating with" said pivotal portion,- a hinge between the double :t

ortio'ns of said handle, a gripping blade holder hinged to said hinge support,

a guard pivoted to said blade holder and cam devices on said blade holder and guarto yieldably hold them inclose cooperat on- P and retain them in self supporting shaving at a substantialangle to said hantheir being folded into subsaid handle anda on said handle adjacent "said retaining device to" wedge beosition die and allow stantially the plane of hicka; said bladeholder osition at a substantial angle to said bantween and disengage said blade'holder andv guard as the said blade holder. swings into stropping'position with'theblade edge substantially parallel to said handle.

'5 2. lln safety v razors and stroppers, handle, a gripping crating with said pivotahportion, a hinge support pivoted to said handle, 'a blade holder hinged to-said hinge support, a guard pivoted tosaid blade holder and cam devices on said blade holder and "guard to yielda metal "ably hold them in close cooperation and re,-

tain them in self supporting shaving position at a substantial angle to said handle and allow their being folded into substantially theiplane of said handle and a' disenconnected to real and cam devices yieldably cooperation and retain them in angle :tosaidhandle and allow their being folded ,intoj substantially the plane of said a disengaging means to gage saidblade holder and guard.

4:, In safetydle, a blade holder piv tally connected to said hinge support, a pivotallymounted.

hold, them in close, I selfv sup- POl'tlIlg' shaving position at a substantial;

disenv.

razorsand stroppers, a han dle, a hinge support connected to said, hank guard and cam devices on said blade holder and guard to yieldably hold them in coopdevices on said blade holder saidihinge support, a .pivotally' mounted,

guard and cam and guard to yieldably hold them injself l ng position-at a substantial angle to said handle.

sheet metal handle, a retaining device cosupport, a vguard connected to said blade holderand cam devices to yieldabl hold in self supporting s dle andv a disengaging projection on said handle adjacent said retaining device to wedge between and disengage said blade holder and guard as the said blade holder swings toward a position with the blade edge substantially parallel to said handle." In safety razors and stroppers,'a bane dle, a support pivoted to saidfhandle, a blade holder pivotally connected to said hinge supretaining device coopport, a guard connected to sa d blade holder and devices to hold said blade'holder in selfsupporting shaving position and a disengaging projection on said handle to disengage said blade holder and guard.

means to disy p} die, a blade" holder pivot-ally connected to said hinge.

avingj (tin. safety razors and tro p a fl t: no

8.7111 razors, a fiatsheet metal handle, a

blade holder foldably and swingingly eon nected to said handle and adapted to receive a razor blade and cam retaining devices on saidblade holder and cooperating'with said handle to yieldably hold said blade holder in selfsupportingshaving stantial. angle to said handle.

position at a sub- 9. In raz 0rs, a handle, a blade holder foldably and swinginglyconnected to said=handle and adapted to receive a razor blade and ed to receive a razor blade and cam retain-' ing devices adjacent its folding connection with said handle to yieldably' holdhsaid blade holder in self supporting shavmgdposition at a substantial angle to said han e.

11. In safety razors, and stroppers, a re silient metal handle, a blade holder foldably and swingingly connected to said handle and adapted to receive a razor blade and retainin he der and cooperating with said handle to releasably hold said blade holder in self supporting shavin position at a substantial ang e to said han le and in strcpping position substantially in the plane 0 said han-v dle.

12. In safety razors and stroppers, a handle, a blade holder foldably and swingingly connected to said handle and, adapted to receive/a razor blade and retaining devices comprisin a cam to releasably hold said blade hol sition at a substantial angle to said handle;

13. In safety razors and stroppers, a: fiat sheet metal handle, a blade holder foldably and pivotally connected to said handle and adapted to hold a, razor blade and cam retaining devices and cooperating resilient members on said blade holder and cooperating handle to yieldably hold said blade holder in self supporting shavin position folded out at a substantial ang e to said handle.

14. In'safety razors, and stroppers, a handle, a blade holder foldably connected to said handle and adapted to hold a razor blade and a cam retaining device and cooperating member on said blade holder and cooperating blade holder in self supporting shaving posaid hinge,

g devices comprising a cam on said bladel 'siderable distance er in self supporting shaving po- 1 handle to yieldably hold said sition folded out at a substantial angle to said handle.

15. In safety razors, a metal handle havmg a pivot and a fiat resilient handle extension beyond said tainin device adjacent said pivot, a sheet metal inge support secured to said pivot and having a hinge at a considerable distance from said pivot andlcooperating with said handle extension, a -gripping' blade holder and a. guard pivotally. connected to and cam devices on said blade holder cooperating with said handle extension and on said folded into substantially the plane of. said handle. a

16. In safety razors',ja 1netal handle having a, pivot and ayresilient'handle extension beyond said pivotf'z't hinge support secured to said pivot and having from said pivot and cooperating with said handle extension, 'a gripping blade holder, and ally'connected to said hinge and cam'devices on said blade holdereooperating with said-handle extension to yieldably retain the same in self supporting shavin position at a substantial angle to said hand le and allow their being swung folded'into substantially the plane of said handle.

17 In safety razors, a metal handle having a (pivot and a, resilient handle extension b'eyon 1 to said pivot and having a hinge at a considerable distance from said pivot and cooperating with said handle extension, a blade hinge and cam devices on-said blade holder cooperating with said'handle extension to yieldably retain the same in self supporting shaving osition at a substantial angle to said han le.

pivot, a gripping re'' guard to yieldably' hold \them in close cooperation and retain the said pivot, a .hinge support secured holder pivotally connected to said hinge at a con-v a "guard pivotabout said pivot and NOEL STATHAM. 

